Something's off about Roy.

You've seen it from him before - in high school, wherein something shifts in him, and rages, breaks knucks, gibbers, and he goes from 9v battery to mains in less than a day. You don't know how to describe it. You don't want to describe it, for fear that putting it to name makes it more real. You hope you'll be home when he crashes.

"So do you ever think about the connection between coastal proximity and lifespan? Quality of life?"

"Uh, no man, I haven't," you offer as you pull up to the gas station. It is all you can offer.

"Well, you see, I read this thing," he starts, and you know from experience to start tuning out.

He stops, after a minute at least, and makes to leave, says he's grabbing drinks from inside. You should have been the one to do it, because he's not making sense when he talks about most things (and he is talking a lot), but - he's paying.

And now, you're pumping gas. The radio is on the oldies station.

When Jimmy Ruffin sings - you punch the wall of the pump and shut it off.